[en] Tritium is one of the environmentally significant radionuclides produced both in nature as well as man-made activities such as nuclear power production, tracer studies, consumer utilisation, strategic applications and fusion research. The inventory of tritium in the biosphere has been altered as a result of the above and this paper attempts to review the various aspects of man-made tritium, its behaviour in the environment and the collective effective dose equivalent commitment to the public due to the various operations in the nuclear industry. (author). 4 tabs., 1 fig